Posted!

Join the Conversation

Comments

Welcome to our new and improved comments, which are for subscribers only.
This is a test to see whether we can improve the experience for you.
You do not need a Facebook profile to participate.

You will need to register before adding a comment.
Typed comments will be lost if you are not logged in.

Please be polite.
It's OK to disagree with someone's ideas, but personal attacks, insults, threats, hate speech, advocating violence and other violations can result in a ban.
If you see comments in violation of our community guidelines, please report them.

Have a great summer, don't drown, don’t get cancer

Officials from Transylvania County and forest services talk about the importance of safety while enjoying the counties' waterfalls.

Buy Photo

Last year six people died in waterfall accidents in Transylvania County. Transylvania County Tourism Development Authority along with emergency and forest services, are teaming up to warn of the dangers of these beautiful natural spectacles. (Photo: Maddy Jones/mjones@citizen-times.com)Buy Photo

On Wednesday the summer solstice arrived – the point when the sun reaches its northernmost point from the equator - the longest day and my favorite day of the year!

Now that it’s officially summer, it’s officially the time when things start to go downhill. Meaning, the days get shorter, and we can look forward to the cold, dark times ahead.

Until then, here are my five rules for having a great summer:

Don’t get cancer. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer. More than 5.4 million people in the United States are diagnosed with skin cancer each year, according to the American Cancer Society. That’s more than the number of people who will get breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate and colorectal cancer combined.

The risk for developing skin cancer is greatest during the long days of summer when we’re outdoors more, and the sun and its UVA and UVB ultraviolet rays are the strongest. It might seem like a drag to wear sunscreen, a hat or take frequent breaks in the shade at the pool, on a boat or lakeside.

But you know what’s not cool? Melanoma. This is a certain type of skin cancer that kills more than 9,700 people a year. Treatments can include surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Trust me, none of those are cool.

Anyone can get skin cancer, but those with natural blond or red hair, who are fair-skinned or who have had skin cancer before are most at risk. Slop on lots of the sunscreen, especially on babies and kids, make sure it’s a broad spectrum SPF 30, and one that’s paraben-free. Parabens are a common preservative in sunscreens and other skin care products that have been linked to breast cancer.

Don’t drown. There are an average of 3,536 fatal unintentional drownings annually in the United States, about 10 deaths a day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An additional 332 people died each year from drowning in boating-related incidents.

About one in five people who die from drowning are children 14 and younger.

Considering how much time we spend around rivers, lakes, on boats and in pools in the summer, this is sobering stuff. In Western North Carolina there have been swimming, boating, and even a waterfall drowning in the past year.

Use common sense. If you can’t swim, get lessons. If you’re out on a kayak, a tube or a speed boat, wear a life jacket. The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission requires ages younger than 13 to wear a life jacket on a recreational vessel that is “underway.” Do they consider the lives of anyone older than 13 less important? Make a smart choice, set a good example.

Stay hydrated. You don’t just need extra water when you’re hiking or bike riding or playing basketball in the summer. It’s hotter, your body sweats more, you lose more water, your body is made up mostly of water, if it doesn’t get enough water, you get headaches, you can get nauseous or pass out.

So if you work outdoors, just plan to take a walk outdoors or watch a concert outdoors, always bring water. And bring water for your dog, too. They’re not camels. They need fresh drinking water on hot days just like humans.

The Red Cross recommends at least 3 liters of water a day for men, slightly less for women. And even more if you’ve been seriously exerting yourself. For example if you’re running up and down Asheville hills on an 85-degree day without water, you could develop heat exhaustion, heat stroke, or die. Not a fun way to start off summer.

Fourth, don’t get mosquito-bit. Our local bat population is dropping to precipitous levels due to the killer white-nose syndrome. Why do we care? Because when any species plummets to extinction, there’s always a ripple effect. In the case of the bats, they love to eat mosquitoes. Fewer bats, more mosquitoes. Global warming, more mosquitoes.

These nasty little critters aren’t just annoying when they draw blood and leave a painful, itchy bump. They transmit all sorts of diseases from Zika to West Nile. People who work outdoors such as farmers, gardeners, foresters and landscapers have learned to wear long sleeves and pants and spray themselves from head to toe with bug repellent.

The average indoor worker who occasionally goes hiking is usually not so privy to common sense. If you’re into a dense, wet, forested area, use insect repellent, wear long pants and sleeves, not just for the mosquitoes, but for other creepy crawlies like ticks.

At home, remember to “tip and toss.” Mosquitoes breed in standing water. Make sure tires, buckets and other places water accumulates are “tipped” and the water tossed.

Don’t crack open your head. The risk of falling off one of the thousands of waterfalls in Western North Carolina seems to be growing each year, even though signage and public safety campaigns are on the rise.

Government, forestry and town officials launched a safety campaign in DuPont State Recreational Forest earlier this month, staging it in front of High Falls, one of the prettiest, and deadliest, in Transylvania County. There were at least six preventable waterfall-related deaths last year in the county.

Waterfalls don’t reach out and grab you. They’re just minding their own business when foolish people climb behind “Danger, do not enter” signs, climb above waterfalls or try to scale their slippery rocks. One theory is the rise in deaths is people doing daredevil-ish things to post on social media. It’s not cool to wash over a fall, go splat, and die.

And speaking of breaking your head open, North Carolina law only requires ages 15 and younger to wear a bicycle helmet. Older than 16? Think your life and your skull is worth something? Wear a helmet.

This is the opinion of Karen Chávez, Citizen-Times outdoors writer. Email KChavez@Citizen-Times.com and follow @KarenChavezACT.